Final answer:
Lanugo can develop in individuals with anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder involving extreme food restriction, fear of weight gain, and body image distortion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lanugo is a fine, colorless hair that typically covers a fetus's body until close to birth. However, in the context of eating disorders, lanugo can develop as a symptom of severe undernutrition, most notably associated with anorexia nervosa. People with anorexia nervosa restrict their food intake to the point of starvation, which can lead to the body redeveloping lanugo in an attempt to preserve warmth due to the loss of natural insulation from body fat. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a very low food intake, extreme fear of weight gain, and a distorted body image. Although bulimia nervosa also involves concerns about weight, it is typically characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by purging and does not commonly result in the development of lanugo.